Customer Reviews

Fresh & Fast: Inspired Cooking for Every Season and Every Day

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
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I love to cook, have many, many cookbooks, but this is, by far, the one I turn to over and over. My whole family loves everything in it. Creative vegetable dishes, wonderful ideas for fish, new takes on pastas and salads. And, everything is fresh, no processed, packaged food. Hooray!

I buy more cookbooks than I ought to, and, while I cook a great deal, somehow never seem to give my new purchases a thorough workout - but this cookbook is the exception. I use it very frequently, and love it. The recipes actually are very fast, but it's the interesting and delicious flavours that impress me, in combination with the speed of preparation. Havn't found a problem recipe. (My husband likes to cook from this book, too.)

That's because I am constantly reaching for it! I love this book. And you should know that I hate to cook. Really. But I do love to eat, and this book marries those two opposing characteristics beautifully.

One of my favorite things about this book is that the recipes are simple enough for a true novice such as myself to tweak without fear of crashing the dish. I have scribbled my own notes all throughout the pages on things I have tried and added and truly enjoyed. One of my favorite recipes is for rice with broccoli and parmesano-reggiano cheese. It is so fabulous that even though it is a side dish, I usually will make it as a main course for my family.

This is the best cookbook I ever expect to own.

The recipes are without exception delicious. The descriptions of the times involved for preparation, cooking, and so forth are accurate, and the recipes that need more time are also clearly labeled. Now...this cookbook will make you feel inspired! Get this book! I've bought it for all my friends and for my daughter and they all love it. Not to mention it's got the best fudge sauce in the world in it!

I tried this at the library first, and after a few recipes I knew I had to purchase it. The recipes are truly fast - most take under 30 minutes, although some take up to 45 minutes. They are also easy and delicious.

When I have some perishable food on hand that I want to use up while still fresh I scan this book for ideas. It will often have a recipe that only involves a few other ingredients that I can use. I also use it when my cupboard is a little bare, because there are recipes in here that use only staples that I usually have on hand.

I haven't tried every recipe in this book, but eventually I will try most of them. So far two of my absolute favorites are the Stir-Fried Chicken, Green Beans and Walnuts and the Carmelized Banana with Rich Chocolate Fudge Sauce. It was the easiest fudge sauce recipe I've even seen, and it was one of the most delicious.

I will probably be purchasing this book as a gifts for others, because I think most people could find enough recipes in here that they would work into their cooking on a regular basis.

Simmons contends that fresh foods are more convenient than packaged and sets out to prove it with this seasonal approach to quick meals. Most meals can be on the table in an hour or less, each is accompanied with preparation and cooking times, and a "plan ahead" box alerts cooks to any extra steps such as marinating, cooling or the use of cooked ingredients.

Simmons, known for her monthly Bon Appetit column and numerous books, such as 'Lighter Quicker Better', has organized the book by course. Recipes are listed at the beginning of each section and further broken down for convenience. Salads, for instance, are listed as main dish (Black Bean and Yellow Rice with Fresh Corn and Tomatoes; Spinach, Shrimp and Warm New Potato), side dish (Couscous with Confetti Vegetables; Tomato, Sweet Onion and Fresh Mint), and "when you have more time."

Sandwiches range from the exotic (Crisp-Fried Soft-Shell Crab with Spicy Tahini) to the sublime (Tomato, Basil and Mayonnaise on Toasted English Muffin), and main dish chapters include pasta (with Arugula, Olives and Fresh Tomatoes), Poultry and other Meats (Stir-Fried Chicken, Green Beans and Walnuts) Seafood (Baked Scallops with Bacon, Sauteed Apples and Cider Sauce), Grains and Beans (Curried Lentils and Vegetables).

Her vegetable chapter (Warm Beet Salad with Wilted Greens; Roasted Zucchini Vinaigrette with Basil and Mint, Roasted Summer Vegetables) is extensive and includes menu ideas for making a meal of vegetables.

A highly useful and practical book for any season, accompanied by two sections of artfully composed photos, with tips and ideas throughout.

I bought this book when it first came out, and two years later, I still use it constantly! Marie Simmons makes me wish I had an Italian mother, too. Not only do I have favorite stand-bys in this book, but it continues to give me fresh inspiration. I love it!

I have been married 40 years and my husband has always been complimentary of my Better Homes and Garden Betty Crocker, meat and potato style of cooking. He went on a mission construction trip to Uganda and came home raving about the "freshness" of the food. I did a query on fresh foods and ordered this book. IT IS WONDERFUL. The seasonings are not ones we have used, but are easily obtainable. After each dish my husband has pronounced the meal Excellent. Now he is helping me with the preparation so he can understand the ingredients and preparation!!!

I've had this cookbook for years and come back to it again and again. These are simple dishes that have good flavor. A good go-to book for people who don't have much time, but don't want to throw together a sloppy meal. For those that care about these things, there are not many pictures.